Petunia plant named ‘Duefortelecblu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Duefortelecblu’, characterized by its medium to compact plant size; mounding to trailing plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; flowers with light and dark violet bi-colored petals and dark purple-colored throats; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia X hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEFORTELECBLU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia X hybrida and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Duefortelecblu’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new moderately vigorous andearly-flowering Petunia plants with numerous attractive bi-coloredflowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2014 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selectionof Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT13-002630-001, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPetunia X hybrida identified as code number TT13-003335-002, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2016has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duefortelecblu’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Duefortelecblu’ as a new and distinctPetunia plant:

-   -   1. Medium to compact plant size, mounding to trailing plant        habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Flowers with light and dark violet bi-colored petals with        dark purple-colored throats.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in plant size as plants of the new Petunia arenot as compact as plants of the female parent selection. In addition,plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection differ inflower color as plants of the female parent selection havepurple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in plant size as plants of the new Petunia aremore compact than and not as vigorous as plants of the male parentselection. In addition, plants of the new Petunia and the male parentselection differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selectionhave blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia X hybrida‘Sunsurfbv’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,735. Plants of the newPetunia and ‘Sunsurfbv’ differ primarily in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact and have shorter        internodes than plants of ‘Sunsurfbv’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have narrower leaves than plants of        ‘Sunsurfbv’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia flower earlier than plants of        ‘Sunsurfbv’.    -   4. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunsurfbv’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Sunsurfbv’ have light lavender-colored        flowers with purple-colored venation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plantof ‘Duefortelecblu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 22-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Petunia production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. andlight levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were 13 weeks old when thephotograph and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia X hybrida ‘Duefortelecblu’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X            hybrida identified as code number TT13-002630-001, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X            hybrida identified as code number TT13-003335-002, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Medium to compact plant size,            mounding to trailing plant habit; freely branching habit            with about seven to nine lateral branches developing after            pinching; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 66 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 65 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,            opposite; simple.        -   Length.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Spatulate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 146A; venation, close to 146A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation,            close to 146B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.2 mm. Diameter: About 2.4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually            about nine to twelve open flowers and flower buds per            lateral branch and about 63 to 108 flowers developing per            plant; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during            the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit,            plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after            planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to six            days on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 145C.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.8 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 4.6 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 9 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 2.6 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from            throat): About 1.9 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.1 cm. Petal            shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal margin:            Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rippled,            glabrous. Throat texture: Rippled, glabrous. Tube texture:            Rippled, pubescent. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper            surface: Close to 85D; towards the throat, close to 86A.            Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 85D;            towards the tube, close to 86B. Petal lobe, fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 85D; towards the throat, close to            83B; venation, close to 83A; color becoming closer to 92C            and towards the throat, close to 86B, with development.            Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 85D;            towards the tube, close to 83D; venation, close to 83C.            Flower throat: Close to 79A; venation, close to N77A. Flower            tube: Close to 79B; venation, close to 83C.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a            star-shaped calyx. Sepal length: About 1.8 cm. Sepal width:            About 3.7 mm. Sepal shape: Oblong. Sepal apex: Rounded.            Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper surface: Close to 147A.            Color, lower surface: Close to 147B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close            to 143C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 1.7 cm. Filament color: Close to            157D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther            color: Close to 90D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:            Close to 93D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 2.1 cm. Style length: About 1.9 cm. Style            color: Close to 145C. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:            Close to 137B. Ovary color: Close to N144C. Seeds and            fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on            plants of the new Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named‘Duefortelecblu’ as illustrated and described.